More than 3,000 of the city’s poorest residents are about to get agonizing news right before Christmas — the coveted Section 8 vouchers they were supposed to use to find new apartments are suddenly worthless.

In an unprecedented move, city officials said today that they intend to yank 3,018 vouchers that have already been distributed to low-income apartment seekers because of a severe cutback in the federal Section 8 program.

“It’s a difficult but unavoidable decision,” said Housing Authority chairman John Rhea.

The decision doesn’t affect the 101,000 families who’ve alrady secured apartments using Section 8, one of the nation’s most important housing subsidy programs.

Rhea said Congress, without warning, pulled $58 million out of the city’s Section 8 budget in May, forcing officials to make do with the $780 million they had left.

The average Section 8 subsidy of $800 a month allows low-income residents to hunt for private apartments they otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford..

The situation is so dire, said Rhea, that next year the city doesn’t intend to issue single new Section 8 voucher, even for emergency cases involving domestic violence victims and people in witness protection protection programs.

In a typical year, the city usually distributes more than 10,000 vouchers.